Sunday, September 22, 2013

Cats in Art: Cat Sleeping on a Bed (Monet)

**SPECIAL EDITION**

From my continuing weekly Sunday series of
cats in art. Routinely I've been using some ideas from the coffee table book, The Cat in
Art, by Stefano Zuffi.

However...today's special edition is in honor of new granddaughter, Cecilia Monet, born this week. So, naturally, I must use a Monet painting with a cat in it...which, despite a thorough search of the web, seems to total exactly one single painting:

Just like young Cecilia, you gotta note the TINY size of this painting: just over 4" x 8". That's quite small, yet the detail rendered is quite astonishing. You get the feeling that Monet knew and/or had cats, since he captures so well the essence of a sleeping kitty: curled up, conserving heat, head cocked.

I'd like to be able to say that the parents chose this name out of a love for the painter Monet. However, I think they just liked how it sounded. Regardless, thanks to Monet for the use of his image and name.

"Children are the living messages we send to a time we will not see." --John W. Whitehead, quoted in Ann Geddes' book, Cherished Thoughts With Love (a coffee table book in the maternity waiting room)